FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

ere are some of the most often-asked questions I get via your emails and letters; both business and personal…I’m sure the list will grow over time; let me know what else you need answers to (but no math or anything like that).

Is it OK if I borrow the art on your website to use on my blog?e love it when people want to use my art — but if you’re making something with it to sell, the art and content on this site and on my products is copyrighted/protected; and would be done through LICENSING.
For online use; please EMAIL KELLEE and let her know if you’d like to use my art on your blog; we’d love a credit with a link back to www.susanbranch.com with each use.
Help yourself to BUTTONS.

Who makes your fabric and where can I find it?y FABRIC is made by Quilting Treasures, which is the division of Cranston (in Rhode Island) dedicated to the independent quilt store business (my fabric is not available in chain stores). If you would like to order my fabric for your store, please contact them (or with any comments you might have) at: http://www.quiltingtreasures.com/content95.html.

e always encourage you to spend your time and money at the wonderful, small, creative quilt shops across the country (they teach too!), but if you live too far away from a store, or simply can’t find it, we do carry a small selection of my fabric in our WEB STORE (for as long as it’s available; fabric is often gone before we know it).

Will you ever send your WILLARD Newsletter out again via Snail Mail?e’re thinking about it, we’d love to; it was always free before, that’s what stops us… we would need to make it a subscription because the whole industry of snail mail has gotten so much more expensive. It’s sort of been on the back burner for a while, do you think we should? You can WRITE and tell me; but until then, you can sign up for our monthly WILLARD that comes to you free via email.

Do you sell or loan out your mailing list?o, never, ever, ever.

Why is shipping so expensive?everal reasons, the price of gas is one of them. Another is that we’re not Amazon or Zappos, we’re small, so we don’t receive the lower prices (due to volume) that big companies do. We’ve thought of trying to “hide” the cost of shipping by including it in the price of the products we sell — but there’s no hiding it. Like hiding an elephant under the sofa. Emma cups for example…come from England, are so expensive we only order six, sometimes twelve at a time, but they are WONDERFUL, and collectible and I would buy them myself, so we want to have them. Add shipping, and we’re talking investment. I can’t tell you how hard we’ve tried to get the costs down. Some things we even pull out from the others and drive them to the post office ourselves because in some cases, not always, it’s cheaper to send things that way (we’re too small for the PO to do a pickup with us). The big shippers, who will come and pick up, give us one overall price, based on the price of the item, not on how far it goes. That’s the rules. We’re just happy we can still do it at all…

Do you accept advertising on your blog?es, if I love the product and would use it and rave about it anyway. Emma could have an ad here anytime. Creative blogs too, food and cooking things would be good in our Home Cooking section; tea rooms, independent bookstores and fabric shops; yarn stores and cozy B & B’s; Cunard and Amtrak, something wonderful about places and events on Martha’s Vineyard or in England. Here’s how you can contact us about ADVERTISING.

Why can’t I find stickers and other things?e don’t manufacture things ourselves; artwork and design is licensed and products are sold wherever the manufacturer chooses, for as long as they like, which, unfortunately, these days, isn’t long. (That’s why nothing stays in stock in our store very long.) Manufacturers are always looking for “new.” Getting a product that would be around forever and never change, like Lifesavers or Levis, is fairly impossible today; the manufacturers really don’t do it anymore. They say the market wants new. (We know, we don’t like either.) When my products come out, we purchase as much of it as we can for our WEB STORE (otherwise we never know where it’s being sold), but it’s only a matter of time until it’s gone and no more to be found. We get calls all the time from people looking for a certain teapot or fabric or scrapbook. Your best bet for old out of stock items is Ebay. Sorry, I don’t have a better answer than that!

Also, for new product, a manufacturer has to CONTACT US and request to LICENSE my art. And here’s where you can help, because we would really like to have stickers and scrapbooking things again. There are several wonderful manufacturers out there, who would no doubt LOVE to hear your thoughts on the subject. You can email them and suggest that you would like to see Susan Branch stickers — or really whatever product you’re interested in! Because you, as the consumer, are most powerful of all. Who knows, maybe they will call us! Here are a few links to some manufacturers; and you being your creative self, may have your own ideas; just direct your questions to the Licensing Departments and include our web site address… www.susanbranch.com . And p.s., thank you.

EK Success (includes Kay and Company); for stickers and scrapbookingHallmark (for stationery and greeting cards, and probably everything else!)Wilton love their fun products–lots of baking things we’d love to see Susan’s art on!Checks in the Mail; We know, everyone wants checks! Us too….
Esportia; these are the people who made our jammies!: (626) 301-0280

Do you carry other things in your web store besides Susan Branch products?es, we do. Because we find things we fall in love with, books or cooking things, special garden things like our BEE SKEP, darling dish towels, Vintage things when we’re on a road trip; things I have in my own house and think you might like too.

Are you ever going to tell us how you and Joe met?t was pure luck on my part, sitting in the right chair in a restaurant at the right time. I love love stories, so I just wrote ours into my next book. I was saving it for the right time. Now that we just celebrated 24 years together, I think I can safely write about it — looks like we’re going to make it! (Knocking on wood).

What got you started cooking?ell, the real beginning was the brownies and peanut butter cookies I was baking at around ten years old. I’m the oldest of eight children and we had lots of lunch boxes going out of the house every day! I was also in charge of the bowl and beaters, and learned early about the good feeling you get when someone says, “Mmmmmm, can I have more?” That was reason enough.ut cooking as a passion, for me, happened in a flash of a moment — it was a vision of inspiration that changed my life. And (I hate to say this, I don’t mean to tease) I also put that story in my next book. It’s long, you don’t want it here anyway. Sorry, don’t be mad. It’ll be fun in the long run, you can have tea with the book.

When is your next book coming out? keep fooling around writing this, painting new fabric and calendars (having tea, visiting my family, working in the garden), also Twittering, writing Willards, checking Facebook to see what the FOSB are up to, and every other thing, because I really love our connection and have gotten slightly addicted to all the back and forth between us. Procrastination is my middle name; which causes all sorts of problems and slows down the book. But it’s coming.
Now that the blog design is done and up, I’m really buckling down, refusing to let myself get distracted; start early, quit late; focused like a laser, protecting myself from dangerous outside influence. I’ll be dedicated and discip . . . Oh! Did you see that? My girlfriend Martha just walked past my window; wonder where she’s going. Her daffodils are blooming. Is she coming here? I better go check….

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

Art and Content for Susanbranch.com is protected by registered copyrights. Please ask before using.

361 Responses to FAQ

Dearest Susan…along with your favorite book list and hopefully a favorite movie list as suggested, would you please include your favorite music? When I watch your YouTube videos I always hear music…now I have heard Frank Sinatra but anyone else? Dean Martin? French Music too? Thank you precious!! XO, Tricia B.

In my GIRLFRIENDS book, on page 116, the border that goes around the page is a list of music; here’s my favorite song on earth La Vie en Rose by the person who sings it best … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxByDgpLmss xo enjoy!

Hi Susan! love everything about your work and have been collecting your cookbooks for years! I get a Susan Branch calendar every year and it hangs on my pantry door in my kitchen for all to see. its my tradition to write in special days on New Years Day.
I love La Vie en Rose but I really
love it when Louis Armstrong plays it!
“Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast”

I have been following you since you started, I use to collect your pages in Country Living Magazine, in fact I still have my collection of Magazines from the 80’s. I also followed you on your travels when you twitted from the twain, that was alot of fun.
I finally got to meet you in Irvine , CA in 2010. As soon as I got off work that day I drove about 1 hr to go and hear you at the Guild meeting, and I loved that you are such a gracious and kind person, just like all your writings.
Your books are always worth waiting for, so take your time , the way you compile your books is so real, pen (or brush) to paper, I love it.
Thank you for such inspiration in your writings.
Can’t wait for the next book.

A friend suggested your blog to me and I am so happy she did! I’ve enjoyed your work for years! I’m certain you get this all the time… any advice for artists trying to break into licensing and/or just trying to quit their day job? I’ve been at it for years, and am quite used to all the rejection, but I am starting to wonder if my work is even up to par. Please keep sharing so many wonderful things with all of us! I just love what you do.

I too am working on finishing “Recipes for my Daughter” for both of my married girls, and I also have a son too, so please do consider a “Recipes for my Son” Book in the future! I’d be so hap hap happy
Janis

When my son got his first apartment, while in college, I gave him a book with recipes of his favorite foods. He still uses it to make a hearty Italian Sausage Soup. One year I could not find my Irish Soda Bread recipe that I used every winter…it was nowhere to be found and my daughter could not find her copy. In despair I asked Joe if it was in his book, as the luck of the Irish would have it, it was in his book. So yes, cookbooks for sons are a great idea.

Hi there! I’m curious how you came up with the name “Willard” for your newsletter, etc. You have probably explained this in the past, but I’m new to your website (not you or your artwork and products), and was wondering how you came up with the name “Willard”. Thanks so much for listening, and hopefully, responding.

Hello there… I do miss the snail mail Willards, BUT I love, love, love that they are eco-friendly via email. Such an important thing to think about – if we don’t, who will?!? Thank you. Can’t wait for the new book to snuggle up with! XOXO

I have all of your books and have followed you for years. I Love, Love, Love what you do…….even though I don’t eat much of what you make……because I am a VEGAN. Still, I enjoy READING your books, looking at all the wonderful artwork and just smile. Sigh! I purchase your calendars every year, so I am reminded of you and your “beautiful – ness,” everyday as I pass them.

That said, I was wondering if I might borrow your Blueberry Pudding recipe for my new website – http://www.veganrecipesforhealth.com. It’s a new website and work-in-progress. I talk a lot about health issues and have lots of vegan recipes on it. I have a long way to go with the building of it, but it’s coming along.

I plan to veganize the recipe and if it turns out, up it will go with a credit to you.

Not very tech savvy, so I hope this is the right way to say thanks and ask a question. When I first got married, 19 1/2 years ago, my close friend gave me a copy of Vineyard Seasons as a shower gift. I had been a working girl with no time to cook, but then my new husband and I moved from California to Florida right after the wedding. I wanted to learn to cook, but we found that everything was deep fried in the restaurants in our coastal town at that time, so suddenly I needed to learn to cook! Your beautiful book invited me in and I felt like you were there teaching me and reassuring me that I could do this. I made Chicken in Cherry Sauce for our first Valentine’s Day three weeks after our wedding, and after I made Steak Au Poive, Sole Meuniere and Linguine with Grilled Sausages, I was HOOKED! My husband and I (and then our two sons, now 17 and 15) have eaten very well all these years thanks to you. (I can’t even count the number of times I’ve made Lemon Chicken from Heart of the Home.) You’ve been there every time I needed a wonderful dish to bring to a party or potluck, and even those recipies I haven’t made feel like treasures that you’ve given me. (I’m determined to try Boston Cream Pie one of these days!) It’s a pleasure to be able to tell you how much all your books, artwork, recipies and all you share have enhanced my life and that of my family’s. It’s also been a pleasure to “gift” my sisters, friends my age and new brides with your wonderful products. When someone makes such a difference in your life it seems imperative to say thank you, so many, many thanks from someone people now call a good cook. I could have never done it without you.
You probably answered this question when you discussed out of stock items, but I so miss your family wall calendars which had space for everyone’s activities on them. They were so special and beautiful! I depended on them as air traffic control officer for this family and kept them (filled in, with all the appointments and scribbles of daily life) because they were too lovely to part with. It’s sad having a plain vanilla calendar on the fridge and I just thought I’d put in my vote for a new one.
Thanks also for the blog. It’s always a respite to spend a few minutes in your world. Many, many thanks for all you do! (Sorry this got so long!) Can’t wait for your newest book!

Talking about food never gets too long! Thank you for such a nice comment! You made my day. Julia Child made me a good cook, so you can thank her too! I laughed that you’re the air traffic control officer! Big job! And I know what calendar you’re wishing you had…but the company that made that calendar stopped … I don’t even know why, they just didn’t want it any more. I think other people make that design, you can probably find one on Amazon — I’m so sorry it’s not me! Have a wonderful day Mary!

Mary,
I don’t know if it would help, but I too have two sons, so I just buy the large wall calendar and use a different color ink for each family member. The boys are blue and green, and I store their things in those colored totes also.

I am having a bridesmaid shower and want to make the beehive cake I have seen on your website. Where can I locate the recipe and the pan I need? I am so enjoying the blog. Loved seeing the dancing pants. I love hanging out my wash. It is so therapeutic and gives me such joy. Keep up the good work. You have encouraged me so. Janet

Reading today’s blog about California made me wonder: How did you and Joe meet? And how did you get from being a “California girl” to living all the way across the country to Martha’s Vineyard for so many years (and just part-time now)?

Hi Susan! I am really excited about making your peach plum crisp and I was wondering how long you bake it. I checked the recipe and it doesn’t specify exactly how long to let it bake. I want to make sure that I do it right. Thank you so much for the help!

Dear Susan…..
I just want to tell you how much your blog and website and books and everything you do means to me.
I am going thru a difficult time right now and need all the “good things” I can find. I have been a fan for many years but right now you are very close to my heart.
Thank you so much for everything. If there is any way possible I would love to come and see you in California, as that is where I live. If I can’t I will be there in spirit and send my love to you. Thank you for so many beautiful hours that I spend with you and your wonderful world. God Bless.

Susan,
I just found your website recently although I do have many of your books. I think it is so inspirational that you find such joy in the smallest details of life like beautiful glasses drying on a towell with the sunlight, just right, glistening off of them. You remind me of another one of my favorite authors Alexandra Stoddard, whose love of every detail of life is truly such a gift to her readers. Your blog is a calm place in the midst of a hurried world and I am so glad I found it!

I saw you have a book “To My Daughter with love from my Kitchen”. My Granddaughters and Grandson have asked me to put together my recipes that they like. Do you have one To My Granddaughter or Grandson?

Note to Kathy…..how great to find another Alexandra Stoddard fan! She’s been another love of mine for a long time!

Now for Susan, my other loved one…..Autumn is a most wonderful time! A time for all the things I love to do in my home. All the good smells from baking….cinnamon is quite a favorite….The time for me to curl up in my grandmothers quilt that she made….time for making Christmas gifts….it is as much a “renewal” for me spiritually and emotionally as Spring is.

It seems that I catch up on all the things that I don’t do during the rest of the year when “outside” things take me away. It is a gloriously beautiful time of the year. Even tho I live in California, I can “watch the leaves turn” on television and thru pictures that my daughter sends me from Mainel, a place I love to visit.

Just finished reading your article in “Where Women Create” and I immediately called my grandaughter (in Nevada) and told her to drop everything and go to Barnes & Noble and have a coffee and BUY THAT MAGAZINE !!! It will be a wonderful incentive for her to “proceed” with the life she should have! Thank you so much!

You are a wonderful inspiration, extremely talented and one who spreads joy and love to all of us! I found your art on the cover of a newspaper about things- to-do, quilting, and needlework shoppes,and antiques events, somewhere in my travels. I admired it and knew you and I were kindred spirits, we love the same things and I agree with your little sweet sayings. But I’m new learning to use computers in the last couple years, started to blog this year, and it’s been a slow process developing it to be what I want it to be. On this rainy day, while my grandbaby naps, I needed “my fix”, so I searched for a really good blog, and found and read some of your past posts and truly enjoyed hearing about your daddy, your train trips, and more, and wanted to thank you. In reading your blog today and your many followers comments, I realize how very loved you are and how lucky I am to find you. I need positive, creative people like you in my life, which is why I blog, to connect! To find and give encouragement, and to share and bring joy into other’s lives. I wish you blessings untold! Love, Linda

Dear Susan,
I wish you’d turn your whole Blog into a book!!! It would be wonderful to be able to keep and read and re-read all of your postings. Also, the Willard Newsletters could be put into a book. There, you’ve got two new ideas for books and most of the work is already done!!! Thanks for a wonderful place to visit and enjoy each day. I LOVE your work!
Maryellen

Dear Susan —
Quick question regarding the mineral oil on your wooden kitchen ware . . . do you buff the stuff after the oil has sunk in? Does the oil leave any kind of residue that you can taste? Thanks for your help.
Your friend and fan,
Kathy

I LOVE your blog and love hearing about Martha’s Vineyard. We were there just last week and had a ball! Gorgous New England! I have changed my email address and want so much to get Willard Newsletter again, but have no idea where I signed up the 1st time. Help! Blessings to you and enjoy the fantastic Fall weather.

HI Susan,
What a blessing you are in my life! You’ll never know the joy you bring to me each day. I share your love of home & animals. Anyone who knows the value of a loving home, is a top notch person in my book. That’s you, a top notch person. I taught Family Studies & Early Childhood at a nearby college, for nearly twenty years. I’m now retired. I’ve never heard of unhappy people coming from loving homes. I’ve followed your work throughout the years, cutting your recipes out of Country Living magazines. I recently lost two of my best friends. These women were like sisters to me. One of them had the same love of home that I did. We used to share recipes, dinner party tips, children, families, & our lives in general. I miss her so much. Your blog keeps me going though. When I read your blog, almost daily, it’s like having another close friend who’s interested in the same things I am. Guess what? We have a black & white cat as well. He was a stray who used to hiss at me when I’d feed him. We got him neutered, and now, he’s a real pussy cat. Lets me hold him as I would a baby. His name is Boots. You guessed it, he has four white paws. Thanks for all you do to make us happy citizens of our homes.

Hi Susan!
I am like you and like to decorate my home with lots of seasonal decorations. However, sometimes finding a good way to organize and store all of them can present a big challenge. Some people suggest storing items in plastic totes, others suggest cardboard boxes, and some prefer other methods. How do you like to store all of your wonderful decorations? You seem like the perfect person to ask about this!

On another note, I want to thank you for everything that you do. I know that you have probably heard this a million times, but you have changed the way that I think about so many things. Thank you.

I don’t have Facebook and not sure how I can write on your blog – but I absolutely love your website. I have passed it on to all my friends, I printed out the owl bookmark, laminated it and gave it to my book friends. I followed you on your train trip and back home. I feel very “warm and cozy by the fire” when I read your daily stories. thanks for bringing all the wonderful memories of home to us all.

Hi, Susan,
My dearest and longest friend, and I meet you in 2002 in Hyannis, MA after years of following you, buying your books, calendars, scrapbooking papers, rubber stamps…what a thrill for us both! It seemed you vanished there for a while- I know you didn’t, but it did seem after 9-11 and your move to CA, I didn’t see that much of you. An Internet search a while back brought me back to you:)

So much has happened- my father died, my son died, we moved, my mother became ill, and I dropped everything to care for her. She died in January and now, once again, I am redefining myself- floundering a bit. I so admire what you do, who you are, and the values you share with your readers. Thank you!

Becasue I can’t remember where I left my question a couple of weeks ago. I am writing again. Do I need, may I have your permission to print out your orange cake recipe for my own use. I have your “Notes from a vinyard Kitchen” but it is not in there. I love your art, videos, blog, etc. You seem like a kindred spirit as Anne Of Green Gables would say. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.

Susan, Thank you for allowing me share in your wonderful life. Your writings are so happy and loving – whether you are speaking of kittens, loved ones, or strangers. To read about the things you love and to see into your home makes me aware of what I can have and what I do have. While I read I actually hear the warmth and joy in your voice describing Joe, Jack, and your favorite kitchen tool. It makes me smile! Seeing my things through someone else’s eyes (Susan) encourages me to be more gratefull and appreciate what I have been blessed with. Thank you, again. Paige

I eagerly await every day my “message” from you ! What a wonderful bright spot you are for us all! Wouldn’t it be absolutely fabulous if this became an epidimic all over the world !!!!!!!
Imagine ! Nothing but positive thoughts and actions ! My kind of world!
So again….thank you so very much for letting me into yours!
With all my love and positive thoughts! Vivian

Hi Susan,
I have loved your books for years and I use your Cranberry Sauce recipe every Thanksgiving! I triple it and have given many jars away with your recipe attached. This year, I’m in London visiting my daughter for Thanksgiving (I made my stash of sauce before I left and froze it – so looking forward to eating it later!) and my good friend just emailed me for the recipe and I can’t get it to her. Can you post it??? That would be so great if you could. Then she could share the love on Thanksgiving!!! Thank you and happy Turkey day! Bobbie Weaver

I purchased two books titled To My Daughter With Love from my Kitchen. I am wondering if you have this book but titled To My Son. My son is a very good cooks as well and is always asking for my recipes.
Thank you
Doris Binette
P.S. Do you ship to Canada. I would be willing to pay whatever it costs by courier.

We would like to do one for Sons, and have suggested it more than once, but the folks who license my artwork for use on their products don’t really want to do it. We have some more generic recipe books you could adapt for your son….in our web store. And yes we do ship to Canada! Thank you for asking.

Why do my questions keep getting deleted and not posted on here? I have sent the same question two times now and it does not get posted, nor do I get an email answering the question. Just wondering if you pick and choose what to post on your blog or what? Thanks.

Hmmm, that’s funny, I don’t see any other postings waiting from you. I post everything but I know this blog format takes things out sometimes, and not all the time, that have links in them! Don’t ask me why!

My sister and I were discussing how many of our family recipes are gone because our older relatives refused to share before they passed. She had the wonderful idea of starting our own recipe books and passing them on to our daughters and granddaughters. She came across two of your personal recipe keepers. She said they were perfect but can’t find any others. These say Home Made Recipes (personal recipe keeper). They are blueish green with flowers on the front with little bowls and there is a teapot on the back. Do you have any more of these available? We are looking for 5 more.
I love your blog. I am glad my sister introduced me to you. Thanks.

I was in Debra’s Closet yesterday with my neighbor (who worked with your mother at Boeing) yesterday and I saw two items of yours but not my beloved
calendar for my kitchen. They promised to see if they could order some, and after doing my shopping I was at the desk when another customer asked about
your calendars. They had the desk type and something smaller, but not the regular size. I asked the customer if she knew about Willard and she didn’t know about your website. She had years of calendars she has saved and when
I went into my chest for some christmas items I found I had saved several years of your calendars also. I hope the customer gets as attached to Willard as I am. I am a tole painter but enjoy all of your artwork too. I am also a transplanted Valley girl for Studio City to Huntington Beach. Hopefully, we can go back to Debra’s Closet and get our calendars, since I am a totally retired on Social Security now I need to really pinch the pennies.
Have a great christmas! Thank you for all your e-mails, they lift me up so much.

Hi Susan,
I just read in FAQ about how you met Joe and you said you were going to tell us the story in your next book. Has the book been published yet and if so, which one is it in? I must say I’ve been very curious about Joe because he is in everything that you write about!!!! My husband Jack and I have been married for 39 years and your Joe sounds a lot like my Jack, perfect in every way! Love your blog as I’ve told you before, yours is the only one I read and there are many blogs out there to read!!! Kathy in CT.

I have a wonderful banner of your design that I hang on my horizontal banner pole in the spring. It has a lovely watering can and your beautiful watercolor designs. I was wondering if you have created any others, particularly for Christmastime? I just adore this one, and get so many compliments on it. God Bless You and thank you for being such a remarkable inspiration in so many ways, to all of us who love you <3
Janis

Hi, And Happy Christmas to you. I am writing to say I ‘loved’ the homemade
cranberry sauce you posted. It came out Great, just like you said, even though
I didn’t follow the recipe as you printed it. I mis-read 3 cups for 3 bags! It
was a bit tart, but still very good, with only using 2 bags. :o) And then we added
the orange marmelade. Yum-yummy! We will be making this again and again,
correctly! Thanks again, Terry

I am a fan of your art, your talent, your shopping page and delightfully delicious recipes…Did I forget anything? Oh yes, I love your tales of when you are on the Island and in California. I lived in both places…New England and Southern California. I also love following you and your adventures aboard your travel train from east to west coast. Oh my, am I rambling? I must stay focused.

Yes, please enter me in your amazing drawing for the charming book: “Once on Christmas” by Dorothy Thompson. Funny thing, but it’s soooo true, I would love to win that book. You see… besides the vintage charm of it…my maiden name is Dorothy Thompson. It does seem as if it is one of those serendipity things.

Hard to read all these lovely comments without saying thank you! The blog is growing so fast, I won’t be able to do this forever, but my thought was that the first folks who come should know how much I appreciate it, how inspiring their comments are for me! Thank you Dorothy!

I think I bought your first cookbook the year it came out and have tried to get ahold of all of your books, calendars, and much more! I sat by the river and read them cover to cover…dreaming of your artwork and fancy lettering. Thank you for being such an inspiration all of these years! Really….GOD BLESS YOU.

I am going to be so bold as to think that you remember me–the lady who met you at QVC a loooong time ago; then sent you a tiny scrapbook of the occasion and followed with crocheted cupcakes. You said the cuppy-cakes would go in your home on Martha’s Vinyard. I have been sidelined with this move from Connecticut to Maryland, job changes, etc., etc. But you have remained a constant in my life. My girlfriends and daughter exchange Susan Branch books and other goods as the highest tokens of our love and esteem for each other. Hence my sharing the handworked cupcakes and scrapbook, etc. with YOU. I know you realize how much you mean to all your followers–but for me to tell you that personally, well, it just draws me and mine in all the closer.
When ‘stuff’ gets me down, I know that a cup of tea and one of your books will draw me out. I know that a gift of Susan Branch is perfect for most any occasion.
You are wonderful, and it was time I told you so again. “You are wonderful!” There. So now when will you have jammies available on your website again?
Consider yourself hugged~

I do remember you Becky. I do consider myself hugged. Thank you so much, so sweet, you have to say hello to everyone for me too please. I hope we have jammies again, that was a good way to send out hugs too! xoxo

Hi Susan,
Happy Santa Lucia Day! “Come Thou O’ Queen of Light- Wearing thy crown so bright!…” Hope your day is a bright and cheery one.
My question is about the software you use to send out Willard. I have always loved receiving it and I have a friend that goes around the world teaching knitting and writing books on knitting. She also has an online mail order business and wants to send out a Willard type friendly newsletter to her mailing list. She asked me to help because of my blog but I haven’t ever sent out a newsletter and she doesn’t want to write a blog. Yours immediately came to mind because I love it so! Could you- would you point me in the right direction?
Thanks ever so much! <3

I just came across your blog through a mention from another blog (Maison Decor). I would love to buy your Autumn cookbook, but can’t find it. Is it out of print? Can you provide a source. Amazon only has used or new through other sellers and they are extremely pricey!
Thank you .. love all your “stuff”.
Nanci

Thank you Nancy, nice to see you here . . . Yes, it went out of print just about 2 weeks ago. You might check and see if we have any left in our web store — just click “shopping” at the top of the blog, but I’m thinking we’re probably either out or almost out. We still have a few Summer Book’s left!

I am planning to make your Garlic Shrimp (Autumn Book) for an appetizer
for Christmas. I bought raw, frozen shrimp before I noticed that the recipe
called for cooked, frozen shrimp. It is ok for me to cook the day before, then chill and then follow your recipe? Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

I have most all of your cookbooks with a few exceptions and I love them all. I so enjoy re-reading them over and over again! Can’t wait for your new book.
Thanks!
Jonna

I recently bought your recipe binder Traditions at a wholesale store (BJ’s) but there weren’t alot of pages inside. Where can I find more pages… the ones that have “put picture here” that are double sided WITH LINES!!! I can find stationary anywhere, and your stickers I found on amazon.com, but not the keepsake pages. I’m making this for my daughter. She just turned one last month. I think this will be something we do together as she grows without her even knowing it so I can pass it on to her later on in life. But 13 pages…. Need more!!!! and the 1/2 sheets too. I like the fact that they have your artwork and lines to write!

I am very new to you and your web site. I just love it. I would lioke a l;ist of your books so I can read ,which is one of my hobbies. I just lkove your kitchen items and Scrapbooking items. Any thing you can share with me will Wonderful. Thank you Susan. Happy New Year !!!!!!

Dear Susan, I must be doing something wrong, because everytime I try to enter one of your give aways, once it is posted under my name it says “your comment is awaiting moderation. Help me understand what it is I am not doing correcting. thanking you in advance.
Linda fleming

For one thing the blog is acting up — you are doing everything right! And for another, I have to “approve” all the comments because there’s so much spam here in the back room of this blog and no one wants to read that — so I have to delete it! Also, I’m getting lots of comments today, so it takes me a while, especially — if I go eat lunch or something, I come back to “75 comments waiting moderation!” Need to figure out how to handle this spam stuff!!!

Hi Susan, I’m writing to let you know I loved the drawings you put on the blog the dishes that you drew but were never made. They were GREAT!! I have the mint green tea set, the canisters that match, a vase, and a large bowl. I also have the cutest little house picture frame. I would really love to see what else you designed, but I didn’t get to buy. You must have drawing of the green tea set and matching pieces. Cou;d you please post them sometime? Thank you I just love your dishes.

Susan, I absolutely love your artwork and was carefully studying the latest with “Rea ons” missing the “s”. I had to chuckle because it reminded me of the valentine I was making my husband 31 years ago. I was carefully writing in calligraphy on vellum when I noticed that I had written:
Happy
Vapentine’s
Day
We laughed so hard. Had I written it correctly, we may have never remembered the moment!
Many blessings to you and Joe as you celebrate the romance of the season.

I can’t link through your email to Judy, so just wanted to let you know that I used your pretty artwork for the Lemon Chicken recipe on my new blog which has to do with anything and everything about lemons. I found your recipe on Pinterest and I used rosemary instead of parsley. Just wanted to let you know and make sure you are okay with that. Can’t wait to make the coconut cake!

What a wonderful thing to come to my computer at the end of a busy and tiring day and find your blog and a Willard !!!
I am in a difficult period of time right now and you are the answer to a prayer !
I just adore the pictures of all the flowers and wonderful things that you post…..I do believe I will go out this spring and plant and plant.
I live in the high desert, so it is difficult to grow so many beautiful flowers, so I am going to try to find a class that will tell me what I can plant and when. That will be a first for me. However, I love flowers so and have decided that since I love your e-mails so much with all the beautiful things, that I will “copy” what you are doing and make my home all the more beautiful. I do have many wonderful things, but I need to put them to good use!
Thank you for all the inspiration and happiness you bring with you every day on my computer! Love and lots and lots of hugs to you. Vivian….Palmdale, Ca.

Susan… First… I LOVE YOUR SITE!!! Thank-You for sharing your creativity with the world! It has reached my happy little corner here in Yardville, NJ!
As I enjoy my journey through your various pages I’m finding I have some questions. Thanks for your help.
* Is there a way to do a search? For items in your store? For blogs?
* Is there a way to browse past blogs (a list in date orders… archive)? I’ve
gone in and paged back to older blogs, but was wondering if there was a list.
* Is there a list of links to past Willard e-mails?
Thanks! Georgie
P.S. I am LOVING this journey!

I’m so glad you’re here! Probably there aren’t those things. I started my blog last June, so it’s still relatively new. Relatively! But we should probably have all of that and I will forward your requests to a person who could probably help us get them. Thank you Georgie!

Susan & Peg….I haven’t read much on the “license” stuff – except as a teacher I know that artist take copyrights very seriously – and justifiably so! I have become concerned over the “Pinterest” craze…I am just as guilty as anyone, about “Pinning” and idea…but I happened onto several pages recently with your illustrations, Susan, and I wondered – “did this person not see the picture of Sue with her claws – saying to ask?” LOL? I read an interesting article today from a professional blog – which linked me to this site:http://socialtimes.com/pinterest-lets-publishers-protect-their-images-from-getting-pinned_b90016

I just thought you might be interested in reading the notes….I’m sure you are on top of all of this…but on the off chance you needed more info, I thought I would forward it to you.

Love your work – I have for years…I appreciate that you share your talent with those of us that are not as creative – for that reason I forward this information to you …. you should receive credit and due compensation when your ideas/art are used! God Bless – hope you have a wonderful (warm) weekend….if it is cold in Houston – it’s gotta be freezing up at Martha’s Vineyard…..

Lynda, I can’t believe how dear you are to try to protect me! I have worried, to be honest, as it is one thing to handle copyright issues one at a time, but Pinterest is huge and and I’ve been overwhelmed with the thought of trying to do something about it. I have seen blogs that use my art with no mention of me at all — I always have to believe that good will out and all will be well! I will give your information to Joe and see what he thinks might be done. I very much appreciate your kind and informative comment. THANK YOU! xoxo

Susan, I have been reading your comments in the blog post at Pinterest regarding copyright where you said you’d like to have all of your artwork removed from the site. I adore your blog and have pinned many of your photos and some of your artwork on my boards. All of my pins credit you and link directly to your website’s original post. I apologize for not asking permission to pin from your site. I assumed your request for permission to be asked was directed at those who would use your artwork to sell things. Do you want me to remove everything that I’ve pinned from here?

Oh Lorri, it’s such a conundrum. Pinterest is so wonderful — thank you for this sweet comment — you’re so nice to ask and to care! When I first went to Pinterest, I loved the whole idea of it, but I have to admit to little bit of worry, seeing so much of my art out there. But most of it seemed to come with the link back to me, so I felt more confident. But then I started noticing that not everything came with a link — some of the stuff came from Google Images without any links back to me at all. And then I realized I could drag any art or photo off of a Pinterest page and it didn’t come with a link! I found a discussion about this subject on a Pinterest site where there were many artists expressing their fears — one of them said that the agreement for use on Pinterest says “all art posted becomes the property of Pinterest” — I haven’t read it — who reads those things, and I’m not sure what it means to me — but it’s a very confusing issue with consequences for the artists that are really terrible and too long to tell here! I hate to single you out — there’s so much of my stuff out there already. I know some people just come to my blog and take everything — it’s a compliment, but scary. After I’m gone, I would very much love to think that all my art in one place, and safe, and cared for. Not sure that will be possible anymore; It’s a new world, and how it will all shake out, we don’t know yet. Thank you dear, for asking.♥

Your blogs mean so much to me–seeing one in my email inbox is always a source
of delight. It’s such a wonderful way of connecting with someone I’ve admired for years, and will never be fortunate enough to meet in person. I’m one of those persons who fell in love with your artwork the first time one of your illustrations appeared in Country Living magazine. I continued to subscribe to the magazine just to see your work. I torn out your recipes and have saved them all these years. Anyway, I didn’t respond to that blog when it came, but decided that I really wanted to comment on today’s blog about cursive writing. I am one of those little old ladies who believes in the gracious art of correspondence hand-written in cursive. Your blog really touched a memory of myself as a young girl who couldn’t wait to learn how to write like grownups did. Oh, sure learning to print was great, but it wasn’t nearly as beautiful as cursive. So, thank you so much for this particular blog and for having the same opinion as myself. Honestly it’s like you’re in my head sometimes! I guess we’re kindred spirits. Bless you for all the beauty you bring to so many people.

Ok Susan, as soon as I get off this blog I am digging in my old trunk for the favorite letters from my sons, mom and dad, my oh-so-missed grandmothers, and beloved friends. I loved all of the pictures of past letters that you shared; they brought tears to my eyes and got me all excited to go hunting! Some of my favorites are those from my sons when they were in kindergarten, or letters from students. I chuckle as I read their miss-spelled words, “You are the beast!” …when they meant the best. I still keep in touch with my very first students who were kinders more than 12 years ago. And you are so correct; there is nothing as awesome as that hand-written letter in the mail! Thanks Susan, for the wonderful memories you bring back!

Love it, love it, love it, your blog, Willard, your art, your writting, all of it. You make the world a better place and I always feel so relaxed and calm with your art surrounding me. Gentle is the word I use to describe you to my friends. I have a question about one of your drawings; it is the large hat with the flowing pink ribbon with the front part of a bunny peeking out, may I use the hat as a pattern for a quilt block? I can just see a small quilt, one to snuggle under on a spring evening, er morning with tea, with lots of hats all made from lovely large prints with plain or even plaid ribbons. Can you see it also? Or, how about you designing said quilt? With polka dot sashing and some plain bits here and there. Well, I shant tarry any longer, just wanted to see what you thought of the idea.
Continued success with all you do. And thanks again for your contribution to the world. Sincerely, Jackie

Good Morning Susan!
So love the gifts of early Spring in New England !! Thank you for all the joy and delight you add to my life… A quick question re copyrights. Is it okay to use any of your lovely work to all! Thank you, Anita Drapeau

Until there is copyright protection with Pinterest, the advice I’ve received is to say no for now. Sorry. I love Pinterest too, so it’s hard to say no, but smarter people than me are telling me to do it!

Susan I’ve been a fan of yours long before facebook and have visited your website often over the years. I now have my own blog and wanted to share you with my friends. I found your button and have put it on my blog and would love for you to come by and see it if you have time. Thanks for all your inspiration.
~Kristina

Dear Susan,
I bought myself a Recipe Keeper last year. I absolutely adore it. Unfortunately, I am unemployed at the moment – even after my bills are paid, I only have enough to support myself and my family for groceries. After visiting your website (reading your blog and how you got to where you are now), I was inspired to scan all the extra leaflets and cut outs I had left. I plan to photoshop them in to my computer and arrange them like a scrapbook; then print it out. I hope you don’t mind. When I am able to afford things again, I will return to your on-line shop and purchase more of the stationery for the Recipe Keeper.

I read your blog off of the internet. They are like pages of a book to me so interesting and full of ideas and beautiful pictures. I never want them to drop away because I go back ever so often to look up previous posts. Are the blog pages you had when you first started and up to the most current always going to be in your blog or will they fall out eventually? Is there away to have them sent to my email address or to download them another way?

I have thoroughly enjoyed following the blog as you and Joe travel thru England. My husband and I would love to take that trip!

How have I missed you all this time?!?! Now I have to play catch up! A cousin sent me a link to your blog and as I opened it on my super smart phone, I realized that I needed the big computer screen to fully take in the beauty of it!
Having just finished my first book (yay), I am inspired by how great your site is. So thank you for that and yet UGGG, I have my work cut out for me because now you have raised the bar on my expectations.
Do you ever do artwork for children’s books? While my recently written book is for adults, I have a story that was written for my 91 year old grandfather for Christmas. (It is one page memory of farm life with my dad and grandpa.) I would love to turn it into a children’s story and a gift for the rest of the family.
Glad to have found a sister spirit!

Loved seeing all of your photographs of England (well, let’s be honest, all of your photograph’s) but am especially drawn to the one of the green door in the rain (Hill Top). May I copy that to my computer so that I might make a print? Hopefully it will be in the new diary, if you prefer not to have it copied, and I do understand that. Thank you.
PS Have you decided on a name for the new book? Can’t wait, like so many others, for it to be published, but take some time to enjoy your MV summer.

Dear Susan,
I know how busy you and your staff are getting all caught up after your trip. I was wondering if I asked my question on the wrong sight. This sight on June 21 st I posted a question and have not seen an answer. Did I miss it, should I have gone somewhere else? Just wondering.

Love all that you do and look forward each day or so for something new and wonderful. Thanks so much!

I seem to have lost a ship. I believe that between shoe shopping and kitties taking over the blog, there was a blog about the Queen Mary (?). It came by email and I deleted it and came to the blog site to read it and it isn’t there. Now, it’s been warm here but not hot enough to cook my brain and a friend corroborated the existence of said ship email. My question, if you chose to answer it is, “Please, mum, would you send it again so I don’t miss anything?”
Please and thank you,
Jo

Here’s the Queen Mary getting ready to leave NY heading for England …. you will have to turn the video off when you get finished, or it will go straight through to others! And here we are coming home from England — the post I did about that. Hope this is what you’re looking for!

Dear Susan
I love everything about your website, blog, willard and much more. I hate to bother you with this silly question – it’s been on my mind for a long while. I have absolutely a kick with the color orange. Everything about the house, my clothes, and such is always orange. I was wondering will you ever create design that has orange in it (no pink pretty please). I have been looking for antique orange kitchen towels. So far no luck.
I know this is such a truly ridiculous question but do you think you could answer this?
Thank you so very much — your fan from
Salt Lake City —

I have been collecting and using your products for a long time now. I don’t know why I haven’t written before now. You’ve inspired me in a lot of ways through your art and your love of England. I’m going over next week for a couple of weeks and I can’t wait. You’ve inspired me to go to the Emma Bridgewater pottery and take a tour as well as make a mug of my own. After seeing yours I thought it would be such a special way to remember my trip as well. Question I have is, was it hard to write inside of the rim of the mug?

I have been collecting the Beatrix Potter figures as well. I bought two in England five years ago and recently added a couple of new ones from Ebay.

Thanks again and I hope you have time to answer my question. I can’t wait for your new book showcasing your trip to England.

It was a little crooked, but really, as a memory, it doesn’t matter. I liked the cup when we were there, but now that we’re home, I LOVE it! They will help you and you get to practice first! Have a wonderful trip!

Hi, I just wanted to say I love your Blog and it’s gonna take me a while to read and look at everything. I’m a part time newbie to Martha’s Vineyard and hope to soon be Full Time. Have you or would you ever do videos or want to have your own television show?

I have looked and I cannot find your recipe book. Are you sold out and did I miss out, or have you ordered more? Just received my first copy of the calender for 2013 and I just love having your art work in my home. It make my kitchen even homier! Thanks Susan. Judy from Arizona

Good morning Susan!
I have a question–I’ve been trying to access your shopping link this morning and I keep getting a “firewall alert” message–not sure why, but I keeping getting the same message every time I try. It hasn’t happened in the past–I can access the rest of your links just fine. Have you had any complaints from other FOSB’s concerning this?

Strangest thing–I always use Google Chrome as my browser. I kept getting the firewall message every time I tried to access the shopping link, so I logged on with Internet Explorer–got on just fine and was able to do a little shopping Hubby and I were in Boston over the weekend. He’s a huge Baltimore Orioles fan (I’m a huge people-watching fan) and they were playing the Red Sox, so we went up Friday in time for the game, saw the second one on Saturday, and came back Sunday. Wish we could have stayed a bit longer and taken the ferry to MV, but Boston was lovely–what a wonderful place to spend the first day of fall!

One more question–I received my three SB calendars yesterday–wall, mini, and frige. Cute! However, I can’t figure out what the little white and red objects around the background of the apron are on the frige magnet. Hubby says beans (?) Silly question, but I’m stumped! We had corn pudding from your Autumn book last night as a side dish to baked porkchops, I’m heading to market for ingredients for corn chowder for tonight, and am keeping an eye out for the season’s first shipments of cranberries for the apple/berry crisp. Rainy here today–the weekend’s supposed to be nice. Sunday we’re taking the Potomac Eagle Train in Romney WV for a foliage/lunch excursion. Hoping to see lots of beautiful fall colors. Happy days! And, my soul’s background music for this beautiful season continues to be Doc and the Lady’s version of Ashokan Farewell. Thank you, again, for posting that on your blog.

I did that pattern to go with a daisy pattern where one petal is missing …. like in, “he loves me, he loves me not?” And this pattern is the one where all the extra petals went! Your train ride sounds heavenly!

I love all of your books and stickers. I was wondering if you could please tell me where I could find your books WEDDING BLESSINGS and CELEBRATIONS? I have looked everywhere for them. I would greatly appreciate a response from you.
Sincerely,
Alice

Hi – I purchased the compilation of Willards that I think goes from 1995 through 2003. I signed up for email Willards a couple of years ago. Where is it possible to get a copy of the Williards from 2003 to about 2010? I love everything Susan Branch! Thanks, Sherrill

The Willards from 1995 were all snail mail, which is why they could be printed; since then, they’ve all been on line, and I think perhaps would, if printed, be the size of an Encyclopedia Britannia… BUT, if we ever have time to do it, they would be fun to look back on, like a diary!

I am going to ask Kellee to make sure you are on the email list (be sure to check in your spam folder, Willard has been known to take detours), but if you click HERE, you will be able to see WILLARD! Sorry!

Just a note to let you know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and Joe through-out this horrible storm “Sandy”. Hope you are safe and sound and that you have very little if any damage to your beautiful home.

Susan,
This seemed the most logical spot on your website to ask my question. Would you be willing to share the names of the software/platform you use for your website? Such as WordPress, Dreamweaver, etc. The world of website development is so large with so many options and I am certainly not a techno-geek. I am in the early stages of developing a flower farm business and will need a website, hopefully one I can update and maintain myself. I was hoping you might share what software, platform, hosting you use for your website as I want a site that is completely individual and creative, set apart from others. Your site fits that description and I hoped you might have information on a efficient and less costly route than hiring a web designer. I thank you in advance for any information you could generously share.
~Jamie

Yes, this is WordPress. We chose it because it’s adaptable to individual design, which was what I wanted too. I worked with friend who set it up; I just drew out what I wanted, gave him the art work, and he did the rest . . . you have to have code in order to make it work, so you need someone who knows and understands it. After it’s set up, you can do it yourself. Hope this helps! Good luck Jamie!

Thank you so much! It is always both exciting and overwhelming to begin a new business, especially in the current economic climate. I have been looking at WordPress and it seems to be the easiest, if you can call any of this modern technology “easy”. Give me my garden and a box of paints. Heck, I rarely even use the microwave! Thanks again, Susan, I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
~Jamie

Susan, I just read your Christmas Willard. You said that as a child, you lived in California, and went to Big Bear for snow. in what city did you live? I grew up in Riverside, and Big Bear is close.

I was looking door more information on this in your blogs and found the information on your dad. my dad took us on adventures too. His name was Bob Stewart! I am pretty sure we are not related, but ! Gee…. Your name was Susan Stewart and mine was Linda Stewart. I am 54, and back in Riverside after trying Indiana snow on for size. Not for me! Thanks!

Susan, how I love the pictures of your beautiful dream home. It looks huge!! I am wondering how you clean it all. You must have plenty of help. I always wonder about those nitty gritty everyday tasks and how they get done. Thanks.

It’s big, but not Oprah-huge … it’s about 4,000 square feet including the barn. Someone comes once a week to vacuum, dust, and to do the bathrooms. We take care of the rest, the everyday stuff: laundry, picking-up, cat feeding, lettuce-washing, dish-doing, porch-sweeping, trash-taking-out, wooden-spoon-oiling, shelf-arranging :-).

I have two of your Christmas Memories, A keepsake Book from the Heart of the Home. Both of them are filled of warm Christmas pictures and stories. I need another Christmas Memories Book and I have looked at every book online and none of them come close to your quality. Would you consider selling another Christmas Memories Keepsake Book? Our world really needs one!